Birmingham Plea for Ring Road
Page 40
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A STRONGLY supported case for it the authorization of an early" start on the Birmingham inner ring road was .presented to the Minister of Transport on Monday by a deputation from the city,Council. Led by CIIr. F. L. Price, chairman of Birmingham Works Committee, the deputation included Sir Herbert Manzoni, city engineer, Mr. C. E. Jordan, chairman of the road traffic section of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, and Mr. A. B. Waring, chairman of Joseph Lucas (Industries), Ltd.
They pointed out the importance of the projected ring road in the light of Birmingham's substantial contribution to the export drive, and gave warning that the traffic situation in the centre of the city was on the verge of complete breakdown.
The Minister replied that he was impressed with the importance of the scheme, but he had to take account of many others all over the country. He undertook, however, to re-examine the problem, and to inform the council if it were possible for him to include part of the scheme within the Government's recently announced programme, so that an earlier start than envisaged could be embarked upon.
LUCAS CHECK HIGHER COSTS BY GREATER OUTPUT •
EV1DENCE of how higher productiv:tY has kept the effect of rising costs in check is given by Mr. A. B. Waring, chairman of Joseph Lucas (Industries), Ltd., in his annual report.
Between 1948-54, he states, the output of manufacturing industry increased by 33 per cent.. whilst total wages and salaries rose by 60 per cent. The result was that the cost of wages and salaries per unit of output went up by 20 per cent..
Within the Lucas organization, however. the the cost per unit of vehicle electrical equipment was 20 per cent. lower than in 1948, whilst average hourly earnings increased by 60 per cent.
The Price of copper last year rose by 70 per cent., zinc by 21 per cent. and 'rad by 16 per cent. Wages in industry rose by 5 per cent. It was impossible to make offsetting savings in cost to the same extent, and it was only the sub _ -stantial increase in output that had enabled substantial price increases to be avoided.
NEW SILVER ROADWAYS • BRANCH
NEXT Monday, Silver Roadways. Ltd., are opening a new branch office at 124 Clyde Street, Glasgow, C.I. The manager will be Mr. D. McAlpine. For a number of years he was Glasgow manager of the Archboid concern, and was later a depot superintendeit of British Road Services. He has. lately been with Pitt and Scott, in Glasgow.
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